C43, but it's not an AMG
by John Curnow, Editor, Sail-World AUS 6 Dec 2020 13:00 PST
C43 to be known as Scarlet Runner (#13) and launched in 2021 © Carkeek Design Partners
It does share a lot of the performance attributes of the Merc. Well, as long as you make sure you select the right one for the road, and the other for the water, that is. However, our C43 today is the very, very new Carkeek 43 being built in Melbourne (VIC not FLA) for Rob Date. So that would make it Scarlet Runner #13.
Kind of cool that last point, because she's in the 13m bracket, which somehow just does not roll off the tongue as easily as 40-something. None the less, this is the latest entrant into the resurging sector, now that the IRC rules have been calmed, if not unfortunately, fully relaxed. You can't really say sedated, akin to living in an opium den, so perhaps it is more like a big mug of ginger tea, and a few TravaCalms.
The Owner
Anyway, Date commented, "This is Lucky 13." And in referring to the bean vine that the boats have been named after, "Look how far the vine has grown. Mum named the original one, and she is currently 99. Mum launched #9, and I hope we can get her to do #13, too."
"I enjoy the process we've been going through. I contacted Jason Kerr, spoke with Mark Mills and looked at the MAT1340, and got preliminary drawings from Reichel/Pugh, but the real 'ah huh' moment came when Richard 'Bart' Bearda from NZ Rigging got Shaun Carkeek into the mix. I commissioned Shaun to give us a design, and when we compared it all I knew we had a something that looked like a 21st Century yacht!"
"We have mucked around a lot over the last six months, but what you see here is very close to the final look. We'll have electric propulsion, which will be from Diverse, just like Ràn VII. This means both batteries and a genset that is required for us to go offshore. We're ahead on weight over a Diesel, and this includes the genset, which will reside in a transom slot, just like the life raft."
Date added, "Whilst she's not completely finalised as yet, we know she'll be light, have 400kg of water ballast, have the mast stepped well aft, something like 50%, and be in the order of 1.23 under IRC. She's designed primarily for offshore with a crew of eight."
So that means that Date will become a Commodore, because the present Scarlet Runner, the J/111, will be kept as the inshore boat in Melbourne. "We may keep the new one in Sydney and sail her offshore. We'll see. We are definitely up for Hamilton Island, even New Zealand for races to Tahiti or Fiji, and even Perth for the jaunt to Bali is in frame. I want to have a crack at some things, so perhaps the Middle Sea Race may get a look in too!"
"VMG running we should be a weapon, and with the water ballast we'll have a bit of learning for our list of 12 that provides the eight we sail with presently. They're all up for the new challenge", added Date who has family members as part of the tight knit crew.
Work has already begun on the mould for the hull of Scarlet Runner (#13), our C43 that's under the spotlight here. They're finishing up the deck design now, and it will be built in February, with the launching slated for June 2021.
The Designer
Shaun Carkeek was kind enough to work with me on a Q&A style review of the boat as they work to get her into production.
Q: The new interpretation of IRC means there is more wiggle room, but displacement is still not allowed to be too racy - where does your design head?
A: Were heading as light as possible without breaking the performance versus rating to deliver a fast, fun and stable platform equally at home inshore, or in the classic offshore races.
Q: Dockside appeal - Obviously benefitting from your work with Ràn VII and the Fast40s - just how much is applicable/crosses over?
A: We deliver a turnkey design and engineering package. This means all areas work in harmony from the outset delivering a more refined package.
Q: Overall displacement?
A: 5300 - 5500kg
Q: Having a big bum is great for form stability, but wetted surface area goes up accordingly. So how have you worked static versus heeled over?
A: We're playing with the RM versus wetted area trade-offs under the IRC, positioning the crossover where required for our clients sailing program.
Q: What size stick, and sail area?
A: 113m2 of upwind sail area and 200m2 kites
Q: Looks very much like 60/40, and set up for triple head - VPP is king - what sort of numbers are being looked at?
A: The boat is designed to allow for triple head setups, as one would find on any IRC 52 coastal/offshore platform. We've worked closely with North Sails on the aero and sail optimisation.
Q: Integral prodder is great, and running into the cabin top is awesome, as too reverse bow and knuckle out - not a lot of room up there on the foredeck, so is it more about furlers?
A: Were using furling sails. However, we've paid careful attention to making the bow user friendly and safe in all conditions.
Q: Chamfer is obvious - how much does this affect overall performance in the size/class of boat?
A: The gains are small, but everything adds up, especially on a higher freeboard boat.
Q: What kind of keel and what draft?
A: 2.85m, lead fin keel without bulb
Q: One rudder or two?
A:Twin Rudders for all round ability, particularly when shorthanded and pushing the boat offshore.
Q: Water ballast?
A: We have designed a water ballast system. This is being used on new IRC/ORCi optimised CF 520 being built in the UK at Fibre Mechanics and will launch next Spring.
Q: Single grinder or powered winches?
A: We've opted for a penalty and gone with powered winches. This works for our reduced crew setup when trimming at high rates over long distances. The yacht features an electric motor with genset for range extension.
Q: Able to be sailed Four Up, or designed for nine POB?
A: We have designed in flexibility with the system. Depending on the conditions and course type we can sail with 7-11 crew and mode accordingly.
Q: Is it bare bones below, or paying homage to IRC by being a furniture store?
A: The C43 is a racer cruiser layout below with some creature comforts and options for Owners.
As if knowing I would want to follow this one up closely, the reply to the question, 'Are there additional renders and line drawings available please?' was "We're working on new renders." I know this to be true, for even the owner has no more to provide at this time.
The Builder
As a sailor, Steve Campbell went all the way to the America's Cup, twice, and raced offshore around Australia, as well as competing on Grand Prix vessels inshore. As a shipwright, Campbell worked on many a famous vessel, including Illusion, Ultimate Challenge, Wild Thing, and Joint Venture.
As a business owner, his Composites Constructions continues to build whole vessels and parts for others, as well as defence projects. From his facility in Braeside they have also delivered the R/P52 Scarlet Runner (#9), the Corby 49 Flirt II for Chris Dare, and a full makeover of an Adams 10 that included installation of a carbon stick.
Thank you
Yes. We are very appreciative of your patronage as our readers. We would also like to very much acknowledge all the sailors out there competing in events like Vendée and Verne, soon the AC, and then the Hobart, as well as all of the club events taking off now and set to flourish in the Southern Hemisphere Summer. The reason we're so elated is that you have propelled our entire group from 1 November to 1 December to a record 536,803 Unique Visitors and 1,833,026 page views.
Our Managing Editor, Mark Jardine, commented, "At the bottom of John's editorials you'll note he always says, 'Your increased patronage and sensational, heartfelt comments have made our crew work even harder to bring you the best from all over the globe...' This could not be truer for all of us. We're currently marching on from even the figures above, with increasing numbers achieved in the first few days of December, and no sign of it abating."
Still no joy!
After the scrubbing of SailGP's Season Two, you could argue that it would have been odd to return to Sydney Harbour 12 months later to dump the kero in and reignite the turbine. So Bermuda and Italy it is. Any thoughts of a final in the Antipodes were put to bed when San Fran got the nod for April 2022. However, that leaves the gap after Spain and ahead of the final that is yet to be filled.
Coming Downunder fits in well seasonally, and with sooooooooo many Antipodeans racing in the circuit they're guaranteed support. So come on Larry and Russell. How about it?????
Mark Jardine said to me, "The RYA Dinghy Show weekend is always a crazily busy one, and 2020 was no different. It is on at the same time as the Sydney Round of SailGP, but I couldn't help getting up early to watch it. The natural amphitheatre of the Harbour made for a spectacular scene and the racing was superb. After the disappointment of the event being declared null and void (especially with the British team's win!), it would be great to hold a round there during the tail end of the rebooted second season!"
Right oh - there is plenty of information on the group's sites for you to review when you can. Please avail yourself of it.
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Finally, thank you for keeping a weather eye on Sail-World. Your increased patronage and sensational, heartfelt comments have made our crew work even harder to bring you the best from all over the globe...
John Curnow
Editor, Sail-World AUS